Winter 2012 - 2013 (5)

Graphene Makes My Day(15th January 2013)

Today, I heard for the very first time about the "new" material graphene, a one-atom thick layer of graphite that's incredibly strong, transparent and flexible at the same time. Scientists are quick to say it could "revolutionize" our world like plastic did. Plastic is having a major impact for sure. This material has got interesting properties as we all know. But is clogging the oceans part of the scientific "revolution"? Particles of plastic go up the food chain, and so humans end up eating fish filled with plastic. We eat our own sh... I mean "revolution". That's how we "manage" the planet. Some humility on the part of scientists would be welcome. The only so-called revolution they're often working for, is making rich people richer, regardless of human and ecological consequences. Aren't they clever enough to know that by now? Sure they know, but honesty is something else. It's not "scientific', is it? This calls for more reflections on science, applying it, using and misusing it. Science and society, science versus morality. To be continued. And oh yes, come to think of it, levels of pollution were alarmingly and exceptionally high in Peking yesterday and probably today too. The Chinese produce everything. Except clean air! Which reminds me of the first "Red Indians" ("discovered" by an absent-minded Italian sailor - or so the conventional, unscientific history goes - before they were forcibly turned into "first Americans"), who knew that the day the rivers would die, we all would, and that the value of money is nothing compared to the pristine resources of nature. Many scientists are beginning to acknowledge that no matter how fabulous some disco-veries may look, it's often impossible to measure all the implications they'll have in the end. That is: if they're honest, and not paid to lie, to shut up or to look the other way. So, graphene then, another manipulation of an existing material, another candidate for name and fame... we better keep an eye on you. .Back to Summary Articles Winter 2013